Walker proposes help for rural school districts

Governor Scott Walker now supports letting some school districts raise property taxes. The plan rolled out Monday is similar to one which Walker vetoed from the state budget. That vetoed language was from state Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette).

“In government, you’re never going to get what you want, especially the first time. Oftentimes you have to work to find consensus and bring others along. This was one of those cases,” Nygren said.

Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) sees some revisionist history from the GOP and the Republican governor, who’s up for reelection next year.

“My guess is most of my colleagues have been supportive of that, and will continue to be supportive of that going forward,” Hintz said. “It’s nice to have the Republicans come around, and when you put that together with Lincoln Hills there’s been a lot of
coming around lately.”

The state imposed spending caps on school districts back in 1993, and cash-strapped rural districts have been at a disadvantage ever since. The bill, which will need to pass both chambers of the legislature, provides an additional $130 million dollars to school districts over the next 6 years.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers, who is one of numerous candidates hoping to oppose Walker next year, released a statememt.

“Our rural and low-spending districts have been asking for this funding for many years. Increases to sparsity aid and the low revenue ceiling were in my budgets, and I am pleased to see them considered after the governor’s veto cast doubt on their future. Students who live in rural, sparse districts and students in districts that were locked into arbitrary spending levels deserve the same level of education as their peers across Wisconsin.”